Join a community of online learners, teachers, experts, and parents, which provides variety and creativity in teaching and learning. Different areas of focus include Applied Sciences, English/literature, Humanities, Learning Strategies, Mathematics, Sciences, Social/Behavioral Sciences, Visual and Performing Arts, and World Languages. Within the subject matter, learning packets focusing on specific educational objects is presented through a number of medias including; audio, video, PowerPoints, or written text. Opportunity to ask the creator of the packet specific questions follows the information. Suggested grade levels are included. By getting a free account, you may contribute learning packets, questions, or rate a packet.

In the Classroom

Provide your students with reinforcement or challenge into the many different areas listed. Allow time for students to choose their area of interest to study. Create an account and contribute your teaching materials. Be sure to list this site on your class website as a resource. Encourage parents to visit this site to brush up on their skills. Challenge students to create your own learning packets based on your areas of study. Include your own personalized packets on your class blog. You can create a private group, so only your students may access your materials.

Curriki is a nonprofit organization that encourages collaboration of teachers and learners in a global community of 211 different countries. Find resources by grade level, subject area, or resource type (interactive, video, or podcast.) Usage type, or exercise, unit, lesson plan, or game, is another option for searching. Use the professional webinars for a better understanding of Curriki. Onsite training is another option listed. Join different groups for a more involved way to explore new areas in online learning, subject area interests, or focus questions. Be a peer reviewer offering comments or suggestions on submitted lessons, units, games, or exercises and give your input. Create collections of your resources to keep privately or share with others. Easily make lesson plans or web quests with the easy to use templates, which include graphic organizer and rubric options. Try a problem based learning unit. Join the challenge to create a video lesson for a chance at winning $5000. The focus of this site is to provide access to teachers, schools, students, or parents to many new creative ideas in a global community. Free membership includes monthly newsletters. Follow Curriki on Facebook, twitter, or blogs.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Curriki has a number of ways to benefit teachers and students. Use Curriki as a resource listed on your website for parents and students to have extra opportunities for additional practice or enrichment. Use as a way to organize your digital resources. The lesson plan and webquest templates are user friendly and promote best practices. While growing in your professional development by connecting with teachers worldwide, let your class learn with other classes worldwide. Curriki encourages you to think critically of your own lessons, but also lessons suggested.

Sqworl is a site for combining multiple links into one single link. Registration is required; however, it is very easy. You create a username and password, add your email and it is done. After registering, a personal homepage is created, this is where the magic can begin! The homepage is where groups will be created to combine url's. Then adding some groups of link begins the process of creating groups. At this point a title is given to the group being created (examples might be Math sites, American History, etc.). The final step is to add a short description. After choosing start, simply copy and paste the url you want to use and add a short description and click finish. Once a group is created, it can be shared through the url shown on the page. Sqworl also has a bookmarklet that can be added to the browser toolbar making it easier to add items to your groups without having to open the homepage. There is also a mobile app for iPhone.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

In the classroom use this site to combine url's of online class projects into one group. Create a group of resources for students or parents for different subjects and share the url through your classroom website or newsletter. Create a group with videos relating to classroom content. Create a classroom account and let students add resources they have found to groups to share with others. Show students how to follow other groups on Sqworl and share resources by creating their own groups. Share this site with others in your building or district as an easy way to save and share online resources.

Use this fun and easy flashcard site to learn information and concepts. Create flashcards easily or use the search function to find existing sets that can be used for study. Play the "Challenge" feature to compete with friends for high scores. Play a variety of games for review of the flashcard set. The variety of options keeps the learning experience fresh.

In the Classroom

Have students or groups of students create flashcards for study. Provide the link to this site or ready made flashcard sets for study as needed. Create flashcards for vocabulary words in all subjects, math facts, or any other material that needs to be learned.

Corridos sin Fronteras (Ballads without Borders) is the companion site to the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition of the same name. This site teaches students about the history of how stories, history, and narratives of Mexico and parts of the US were preserved by ballads. The site uses text, video and music to teach students. The site is available both in English and Spanish. The site launches pop-ups, so be sure to tell your computer to allow the pop=ups from this site. The Teachers section includes lesson plans.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

This site will be a nice addition to your Hispanic Heritage month resources or units on multiculturalism. Introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then have students explore this site independently or in small groups. Be sure you have speakers attached to your computer and listen to the different ballads. The lyrics are even provided for you. Have the students listen to the songs and then have them work in pairs or groups to write their own ballads. Take a screen shot of the lyrics and give to students. Have them compare the lyrics and write what they have in common.

You will also find links to make your own rubrics (or adapt others), adapt or create problem based check lists, find Webquests or Thinkquests, find tools for students to write persuasively, and you can view online lessons or create your own. Those are just a few of the resources you'll find at 4teachers.org. Enjoy 4teachers video channel to see tutorials and educational videos. You might also consider joining in a weekly teacher blog on structured topics and see the featured site of the week.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

This site is a great site to begin with basic understanding of technology in education. Tutorials explain many of the basics educators must have. Ready to use lessons, rubrics, and calendar resources are easily available. This is also a great site for Spanish resources. Share with colleagues to help boost your technology savvy classroom!

ThatQuiz is an online assessment tool for teachers of all subjects and grade levels. Create an account to gain access to record keeping tools. You can make your own tests using questions within the site. Students do not need to register since additional features are only for teachers. After choosing a category, different options are available within each of the quizzes to increase difficulty and add features. Quizzes can be timed or completed at the students' own pace. There is also an option to create a url for an individual quiz that can be linked to Facebook or Twitter accounts.

In the Classroom

Assign quizzes to students to complete on classroom computers or in computer labs. Modify activities for different student levels. Create a teacher account and modify quizzes to meet your own needs. Challenge students to complete quizzes and then increase the difficulty level. Share this link on your classroom website for students to access (to practice skills) while both in and out of the classroom. Consider allowing students to create quizzes for each other using a class account during review times or in small groups. It is much more fun to "study" by creating a quiz!

This site uses movie and music video clips to teach English vocabulary and listening. It also has visual dictionaries called "Photo Vocabs" and other learning interactives based on active media experiences. There is also a large component that includes social networking around the world. To receive full access to all offerings, you need to register to activate a "booster pass." There is also a Premium level, activated only after registration and payment. Everyday there is a new video booster (video clip) and accompanying vocabulary activities. Video clips are taken from things that interest teens. Students can select a "translation" language for the question vocabulary to be instantly translated on mouse-over. Students can also create an identity online, a "badge." Be certain to monitor the daily offerings and preview to make sure they are appropriate for your classroom.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

English and world language instructors can use this site to increase listening comprehension and vocabulary knowledge. Browse the range of video booster offerings to find appropriate themes for use in daily lessons. Share these clips on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Challenge students to create simple how-to videos and share them using a tool such as TeacherTube reviewed here.

This site features a video collection for second language learners. It allows you to select short videos on a wide variety of subjects for classroom use. There are also pre-written quizzes -- or you can prepare your own quiz about the video. Students can view, test, and receive the results of their quizzes from any computer; results appear immediately. Videos and quizzes are available at four levels. The same type of offering can be used in French, Spanish, German, and other languages. You can simply set up a class group and students can use a log in to access the videos and quizzes. You can also add your own video selections and quizzes to the site. The parameters ask that videos be rated up to PG-13 only. Registration is free. You can make comments on the videos and quizzes. Other offerings of the site include transcripts of the videos and culture notes with relevant information, as well as grammar, vocabulary, slang, and pronunciation help.This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

Assign these videos and quizzes to ESL/ELL students and world language students to help improve their listening comprehension and vocabulary in a fun way! This activity would work well for individual or pairs of students in a lab or on laptops. Check with your administrators to be sure they allow students to make comments on such sites. Registration requires an email. If you choose to have students register individually, read tips for safely managing email registrations here. Encourage students to find appropriate videos their teachers can share; students could get wonderful listening and writing practice by preparing their own quizzes. Teachers can then submit them if approved.

This site has embedded videos from over 1600 documentaries located all over the internet. These videos are not necessarily "short" clips. Some are longer than 15 minutes. Search the videos via several methods: browse the library, most popular, recent videos, or by categories. The categories vary greatly and include the bullying of those with disabilities, 9/11, aftermath of the Japan Tsunami, import and export of oil, and countless other topics. Each video comes with a short explanation and ratings (out of 10 stars). Viewers can also leave their own rating. Many include suggestions for related videos. Be aware: some of topics may not be suitable for the classroom. Please preview before (or IF) you choose to allow students to peruse on their own. You may want to share only specific videos with the class. It has been noted that this website opens rather slowly at the busy times of the day. But it is WELL worth the wait. Note that videos are recommended for inclusion by the video creators, so there could be very strong bias in documentary presentations. What better way to challenge students to stop and ask, "What is the source of this information and can I trust it fully?"This site includes advertising.

In the Classroom

View videos on your interactive whiteboard or projector to correspond with classroom lessons. Be sure to discuss the source and possible bias of any documentary. "Documentary" does not necessarily mean "trustworthy" or "unbiased"! Link to specific videos on your classroom computer, website, or blog for students to view on their own. Assign different topics and allow students to choose a documentary to use as part of their research. Have students make a multimedia presentation using one of the many TeachersFirst Edge tools reviewed here.

Looking for review materials for a variety of classes? Use Learning Objects for a wide range of curriculum topics. (A "learning object" is any kind interactive activity, animation, video, audio file, etc, that can be used for learning.) This site is great for introductory, reinforcement, or review materials. Find most of the relevant topics under "General Education." Choose from many subjects such as biology, biochemistry, chemistry, math, sociology, world languages, and written communication, among others. Gifted students or those who learn well independently can study Chinese and other topics not easily available in their school using these learning objects.

In the Classroom

Find a variety of topics for each subject area. For example, use learning objects in biology topics: How to use a Microscope, Life Cycles of Animals and Plants, and Cell Division. Choose from many others. Use as an introduction to a new unit. Additionally, these learning objects can be used for reinforcement or as a review. Under the Written Communication subject you will find 50 Learning Objects from parts of speech, commonly confused words, to how to summarize, brainstorm, and many others. Share direct urls to specific review activities to help students who need extra practice or as links on a class web page or wiki for all students to access outside of class. Encourage students to comment on your wiki about the learning objects they found most helpful in explaining tough concepts (use the discussion tab).

This site features a multi-lingual glossary for middle and high school mathematics along with a listing of mathematical formulas. Thirteen languages are included ranging from Arabic to Vietnamese. Upon entering the site, you select a grade level or formulas. A list of all vocabulary terms are on the left side of the page, or the initial letter of the vocabulary word can be chosen from a list at the top of the page. After choosing the word, the definition is displayed. The option is also available for an audio definition of the term. Changing language is as simple as choosing the desired language from a drop-down box at the top of the page. Formulas are available as an easy-to-print PDF document.

In the Classroom

Create a link on classroom computers to use the site as a resource for students to use as needed for vocabulary help. Share this site with the ESL/ELL teacher to use when helping students with mathematics. World language teachers may want to use this site for higher-level students to increase vocabulary skills.

Teach students about foods, measurement, or nutrition, and find great recipes at Visual Recipes. View a picture of each step of the recipe as you read the directions. English language learners and new learners to foods will find this a great resource.

In the Classroom

Choose recipes to create a menu that meets all of the requirements of the new USDA "MyPlate." Analyze a typical dish to look at calories and the breakdown of the nutrients. Be a food scientist, choosing recipes that are examples of different types of solutions (homogeneous and heterogeneous) or basic chemical reactions. Encourage healthy eating, ethnic exploration through foods, and many other topics with these easy to follow pictures and directions. World language teachers will love this visual approach to foods in another culture and can ask students to "narrate" a visual recipe in the new language while presenting on interactive whiteboard or projector. Use visual recipes to teach sequencing for writing about step by step process using words like "first, then, next." Challenge cooperative learning groups to make their own slideshow/recipe for a favorite dish of their choice using a site such as 280Slides (reviewed here).

This easy to use site allows you to make interactive online quizzes or use pre-made quizzes sorted by subject. You can upload classes, assign quizzes, and receive scores (if students are registered.) Current quizzes available range from Drama to Law to Math (and all core subjects). The format allows for any topic, and the enjoyable characters help to maintain student interest. Note: This site was created in the United Kingdom and follows the curriculum of the United Kingdom. You may notice slight spelling/pronunciation differences.

In the Classroom

You can create and/or assign quizzes for any topic. You need not register students to simply assign an activity, but registration is required to keep and report scores. You simply check which countries to include to narrow activity searches, so decide whether alternate spellings might be an issue for your curriculum topic. Students can use quizzes either at home or in school. Use this site to help students review concepts and receive immediate feedback on their performance. There is a direct link in the quizzes to send a link to registered students or to share on social networking sites such as Facebook, iGoogle and Blogger. Assign small groups of students to create their own quiz for any topic you might be studying. Students can challenge their peers as a review.

Read the Words is a site that allows students to submit almost any text material and HEAR it read aloud. The site will read the text aloud. Languages offered include English, Spanish, and French. Students can select the speed at which the text will be read. You can use a wide variety of formats including Microsoft Word, PDF, a website URL, anything copied and pasted, or from RSS feeds. Likewise, students can listen to the oral text online, download it to the desktop or MP3 players, post readings online in several forms, and even create podcasts with the selected material. Users can even modify the reading avatar's appearance by selecting from those available, both male and female.

Beware: if you are having students use this site, "inappropriate" words will not be filtered, and anything typed is pronounced. So be sure students are aware of guidelines and consequences.

In the Classroom

Primary or special ed reading teachers may want to use this site for students to practice reading fluency "side by side" with the online avatar. World language teachers and teachers of limited English speakers will love this website as reinforcement for language learning. Students can listen as they read. They can also practice their pronunciation and compare it with any selected avatar. Use the oral readings on an interactive whiteboard or projector (with speakers turned up) for class dictations and discussion starters. Preview the vocabulary words in any file or website by selecting the read/edit option before students listen to it. Check school policies regarding individual student accounts on web sites. Here are some tips on managing student memberships that require email.

Six Word Stories challenges students to create a meaningful "narrative," book summary, reaction to a movie, or other literary reflection in just six words. Based on a famous one by Ernest Hemingway, the site collects the writings of amateurs and professionals. Readers can search it by theme or by genre or author (including famous ones). Links include places to try similar endeavors including 2-sentence stories and fifty-word stories. Please preview: at the time of this review, there was one inappropriate comment with a curse word.

In the Classroom

Have a contest and challenge your students to submit the best 6-word story after finishing a novel, play, or poem. Try creating some together on interactive whiteboard, brainstorming first to generate possible words from which to choose, then dragging to rearrange them into a meaningful story. Make a six word story "sidebar" at the side of your class where students can work together with a partner on the IWB to generate new stories as summaries for an act of a Shakespeare play or in response to a sonnet. In a journalism class, try this for a twist on headline writing. Introduce poetry writing by having your students try their hand at expressing an emotional experience in just 6 words. ESL/ELL students often create unusual combinations in writing; why not have them display their creativity here in an acceptable form? Share this site with world language teachers also.

Use this free web site to create flashcards for teacher or individual student use. Flashcard Stash is not just another flashcard maker. Here you certainly can make your own flashcards, but you can also find ready-made flashcards for 100 Common SAT words, 501 Spanish or French Verbs, 100 words you should know, and Words to impress your friends. You can choose to hear the words pronounced correctly, too. Flashcard Stash also uses multiple choice and fill in the blank questions, and calculates the optimal time for review. Teachers get a free account that can create classes and share lists of flashcards with your students.

In the Classroom

Joining as a teacher you will get all the perks for free. You can create your own personalized lists and focus only on words your class needs to work on.

Change the way students learn and study vocabulary by giving it to them the way they want it with interactive flashcards and self assessment quizzes. Demonstrate with the whole class on the interactive whiteboard or projector, and use it that way periodically whenever you have a few teachable moments to fill. Embed it on your class web page for students to access frequently.

Facts, spelling words, vocabulary, definitions, foreign language, root words, historical names, all can easily be typed into this flashcard format for any subject. Plan a system of tags for sets on related material so they can be grouped. For example: tag all geography terms "geography" and all words from the same science chapter using the chapter number or topic. In the computer lab, using a projector or interactive whiteboard, walk your students through making their own sets of flashcards or use teacher created flashcards for student and group use. Students or parents can then access their electronic cards at home or anywhere. Learning support teachers may want to work together with small student groups to create verbal and visual card sets to accompany the chapters they are studying. Involve the students in the process so they can reinforce new content as they create their own "study materials."

TV411 offers lessons and games covering math topics from calculating area to reading a pay stub. Each lesson is offered in a slide format beginning with an introduction to the activity, followed by questions to answer. Upon answering questions, feedback is provided. If the answer was incorrect, an explanation of the correct solution is provided. The site also provides several math games practicing fractions, ratio, data, and percent. Spanish and ESL/ELL teachers will want to note that there is a small sample of lessons available in Spanish on the site. Many of the topics are also applicable in Family and Consumer Science or business classes, as well.

In the Classroom

Share this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector as practice or review of current math topics. Provide a link to games on classroom computers for student practice. Spanish teachers may want students to complete a lesson in Spanish to provide real-world language practice. Share this site with parents through your classroom website or blog to provide review materials at home.

This is a site specializing in family friendly interactives for kids and families. All are categorized for easier finding - categories include beginner games, brain games, holiday games, and more. At the time of this review, there were 28 pages of interactives! There are also many academic categories such as math, science, social studies, and problem solving activities. No signup or user information is required. This site does have some minor advertisements. Also this site can take some time to fully load.

In the Classroom

Choose activities from the site to be played on classroom computers or interactive whiteboards. Assign a game (such as DinoKids Math) for homework practice with math facts. Be sure to save this site in your favorites. Also, don't forget to share this link on your class website for students to access both in and out of the classroom.